National unemployment rate holds at 4.1 percent

Unemployment rates were lower in March in 4 states, higher in 1 state, and stable in 45 states and the District of Columbia, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Seventeen states had jobless rate decreases from a year earlier and 33 states and the District had little or no change.

The national unemployment rate was unchanged from February at 4.1 percent but was 0.4 percentage point lower than in March 2017. Nonfarm payroll employment increased in 2 states in March 2018 and was essentially unchanged in 48 states and the District of Columbia.

Over the year, 24 states added nonfarm payroll jobs and 26 states and the District were essentially unchanged. Unemployment Hawaii had the lowest unemployment rate in March, 2.1 percent. The rates in Kentucky (4.0 percent) and Maine (2.7 percent) set new series lows. (All state series begin in 1976.) Alaska had the highest jobless rate, 7.3 percent. In total, 17 states had unemployment rates lower than the U.S. figure of 4.1 percent, 9 states and the District of Columbia had higher rates, and 24 states had rates that were not appreciably different from that of the nation. (See tables A and 1.) In March, four states had unemployment rate decreases: Maine and New Mexico (-0.2 percentage point each) and Ohio and Wyoming (-0.1 point each). The only over-the-month rate increase was in Maryland (+0.1 percentage point). The remaining 45 states and the District of Columbia had jobless rates that were not notably different from those of a month earlier, though some had changes that were at least as large numerically as the significant changes. Seventeen states had unemployment rate changes from March 2017, all of which were decreases. The largest declines occurred in Alabama, Kentucky, and Louisiana (-1.2 percentage points each). (See table B.) Nonfarm Payroll Employment Two states had over-the-month increases in nonfarm payroll employment in March 2018: Texas (+32,000, or +0.3 percent) and Utah (+6,300, or +0.4 percent). (See table 3.) Twenty-four states had over-the-year increases in nonfarm payroll employment in March. The largest job gains occurred in California (+321,000), Texas (+294,100), and Florida (+173,100). The largest percentage gains occurred in Idaho and Utah (+3.3 percent each), followed by Nevada (+2.9 percent). (See table C.) _____________ The Metropolitan Area Employment and Unemployment news release for March is scheduled to be released on Wednesday, May 2, 2018, at 10:00 a.m. (EDT). The State Employment and Unemployment news release for April is scheduled to be released on Friday, May 18, 2018, at 10:00 a.m. (EDT). Table A. States with unemployment rates significantly different from that of the U.S., March 2018, seasonally adjusted ————————————————————– State | Rate(p) ————————————————————– United States (1) ……………….| 4.1 | Alaska …………………………| 7.3 Arizona ………………………..| 4.9 Colorado ……………………….| 3.0 District of Columbia …………….| 5.6 Hawaii …………………………| 2.1 Idaho ………………………….| 2.9 Indiana ………………………..| 3.2 Iowa …………………………..| 2.8 Kansas …………………………| 3.4 Maine ………………………….| 2.7 | Michigan ……………………….| 4.7 Minnesota ………………………| 3.2 Nebraska ……………………….| 2.8 Nevada …………………………| 4.9 New Hampshire …………………..| 2.6 New Mexico ……………………..| 5.6 New York ……………………….| 4.6 North Dakota ……………………| 2.6 Pennsylvania ……………………| 4.8 South Dakota ……………………| 3.4 | Tennessee ………………………| 3.4 Utah …………………………..| 3.1 Vermont ………………………..| 2.8 Virginia ……………………….| 3.4 Washington ……………………..| 4.8 West Virginia …………………..| 5.4 Wisconsin ………………………| 2.9 ————————————————————– (1) Data are not preliminary. (p) = preliminary. Table B.